Mass Effect: Existence
by J.B. Writer
Summary: Shepard's sacrifice saves the galaxy from the Reapers.  Years later a world changed, Ashley and the Normandy crew are left to cope with the reality that their leader is gone.  When squad mates swear to see him alive... more questions arise then answers.


**A/N: **For those… who just can't say bye to our friends in Mass Effect. And for those… that hated the endings. Haha… even Bioware can screw up. What a world we live in.

Inspired to write after so long… after being kicked in the nuts after that ending. This is not Canon...

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><p><strong>~ Prologue: Lights ~<strong>

(Sol System: Earth)

No screeching Banshee. No charging Brute.

Not even the horror of a full-blown Reaper itself would discourage her.

That's what happens when you live and learn from the best. Alliance soldiers don't run. Council Spectres don't shy away. A galactic apocalypse is just another mission to complete. Another job to do.

The spray of a flaming shotgun round exited through a biotic skull, silencing yet another indoctrinated monster. An empty Husk collapses to the dusty ground; its face split straight open from its jaw through the back of its head. Not even a second passes for a grenade flash to leave more cybernetic remains of a Marauder and a Ravager splattered across a few burning cars.

_No mercy. _

_That's what you said and that's what you'll get._

It was because of _him _that the Reapers would know that this was the day that the galaxy fought back. If all was lost? None of the races were going out with a whimper. That's what Shepard gave them. An attitude and strength that could make mere mortals defy fate itself. The biggest flip of the bird to the higher powers if there ever was one.

Being in the mix of the doomsday frenzy, Ashley Williams felt the pulse of hope grabbing everyone by the neck and not letting go. Watching a Krogan shield a Salarian from a Ravager's artillery… seeing a Geth and Quarian going through strategies on the sidelines. None of these seemed real as the dire situation itself.

Shepard chokes the world to his viewpoint like no other.

_Just waiting to see those flying pigs Skipper._ Ashley thought as she slid over concrete cover, rolling behind a burning Mako tank. _Knowing you? Heh, you probably could make it happen. _

Any thoughts of comfort counted for something.

_How'd you do it? Strapping a jetpack on Wrex maybe?_

Obviously some were better than others.

Ashley scanned the area like the veteran she was but it was hard to concentrate with those red beams tearing into the Earth. The Reapers were raining down their beams on the resistance fighters, more and more of them appearing from nowhere.

_Screech! _The sound of a winged Reaper beast scraping along side a skyscraper from a Turian jet slamming into it full on, an explosion lighting up the area a crimson red.

"LOOK OUT!" Ashley yelled out. A platoon of injured soldiers saw their lives flash before their eyes until a blanket of dark energy covered them from the tons of debris above.

"Williams! Need a little help here!"

A savior covered in tattoos had just arrived.

"… Jack?" Ashley fired off a few rounds before dashing over towards the biotic, laying down cover fire that forced Reapers to lie back into their holdout. The tatted to no end biotic flipped her wrist with a grunt, sending the tons of metal and concrete collapsing on another Husk pack, literally plugging a flank. The howls of the dying echoed into Ashley's ears until the next words came out.

"… Williams, you hear about the Commander?"

Ashley's heart was already racing, now it felt like it was going to stop. No name-calling. No snarky comment. Jack's face was too serious for it to be any good.

"… No." Ashley shook her head, knowing she wouldn't like what she was about to hear. Her radio transmission had given out from the interference. " Look, don't tell me-"

"A Reaper landed before they reached the transfer point…"

_No._

"It fucking took out the entire front squad." Jack's frustration was streaming out her body in violet waves. "It was like shooting fish in a barrel for that Reaper son of a bitch."

"I… so none-"

"No. Garrus and Tali are badly hurt, but they're alive along with a few others." Jack's expression flattened into a growl as even the most jaded of the group seemed to be losing her calm. "… But the Commander… Anderson… we can't find them."

They were so close.

So damn close.

"Shit…" Ashley felt the air in her being forced out of her chest as she collapsed to the wall, eyes to the black space above. The idea… the memories… Shepard dead. That harsh reality had been burned into Ashley's psyche before and she had been preparing for it again for months now. It was still too much…

She just couldn't believe it. She wouldn't.

Beating the Reapers…

They never had a chance.

_Shepard I know you're out there. If there's a God please stay with us…_

"Williams, wake the hell up! What the fuck do we now?" The moment grabbed Ashley from limbo as Jack pulled her by the shoulder pads. "Hackett's signal is cutting in and out and we're the closest ones to that teleporting device."

Ashley felt like the world was shaking being rung by the feisty Jack.

"Look the Commander is probably dead alright? I know it and you know-"

"I know! I know! Calm down!" Ash pushed Jack to the side as the tension peaked with a whimper, the biotic knowing she was a little shaken up.

"S-sorry…"

Ashley made nothing of it, biting her lip in thought. Both of them after a few seconds gave each other a slight nod to settle in, both thinking deeply. It was sad but they both knew they had no time to think about Shepard. There was too much at stake. The troops were holding on as hard as they could but they weren't going to last. It was time for something… anything.

Ashley sees the look in some soldier's eyes as they too were receiving the news. The facial expression is always the same when staring at death. The people in Horizon. The people at Eden Prime… that look of defeat was a death sentence for everyone. The resolve. The change… the attitude was slipping away.

_No. We're better than that. _

_You taught us better than that Commander._

This wasn't that Ashley from years ago...

"Jack." Ash pointed to the biotic's wrist. "Radio in any help we can get. Try to get through to Hackett. Tell him I'm heading the next hammer squad." She waved towards the soldiers nearby. "Everyone to me now! Move it!"

"Got it Chief." Jack nodded as she began dialing in her omni-tool. Soldiers quickly rallied around the group as they took cover from the firefight, a pair of Krogan soldiers pushing cars into cover, forming a ditch for momentary safety. To say these soldiers were walking dead wasn't far from the truth… she had to pick up the intensity.

"Look, the first plan failed but this ain't over yet. Not by a fucking long shot." Ashley took her gun and placed it on the floor, drawing into the dirt ground a plan. "We're passed no man's land, and we need to go now and break through that line. Shepard and Anderson are down but we can't let this opportunity go. If we push down the block and-"

"But Commander Williams most of us can barely move-"

"Damn it, I know it's probably a one way trip for all of us." Ashley shook her head towards a weary Salarian Agent. "But it's our only shot." She glanced around at Turians, Salrians, Asari, and humans alike. "I have no time for arguing. Whoever is going with me, go now. Shepard's sacrifice will not in vain if I have anything to do with it. We're gonna win this thing!"

"Hell you know I'm in goodie two shoes." Jack slid into the fray with her eyes glowing. She poked at a few chests as she circled the pack. "Any of you wimps gonna step up? Hackett says Williams is in charge."

"Count us in."

The soft voice comes from behind Ashley, a friendly pat on the back accompanying a beautiful blue face. Liara T'soni was battle worn but still was that reassuring a presence as everyone needed. Her somber but supportive eyes told the whole story. Old friendly faces… were great to see. Especially the new ones filing into this meeting.

"For the Commander." Liara whispered, remnants of the Normandy crew behind her waiting to support her.

"You ain't going anywhere without me Loca." James Vega chuckled from behind his helmet. "I ain't letting you have all the fun you know?"

"I can keep tabs on any arriving Reaper platoons. You will need me to maximize your probability of success." EDI's voice was as monotone as ever.

"Come on Williams, let's move out. Enough talk. Let's make that push and finish it for the Commander!" Grunt punched his fist in the air. "I'm stopping till those Reapers beg for mercy…"

"Me and the Prothean couldn't agree more."

Ashley even broke a small smirk as she saw Wrex and Javik standing towards the back, cross-armed but determined. The small batch of soldiers slowly began getting on the same page, the Normandy Crew and Ashley being the catalyst for their determination. Their military banter began to rise as they were pumping themselves up for one last push.

The change was permanent. Shepard didn't need to be here anymore. They've learned and they believed. To do whatever was necessary to succeed. The spirit of their Commander was burning strong.

"This is for Shepard." Ashley grabbed her rifle as everyone let out a battle cry. "He's bailed us out too many times… it's about time we returned the favor."

For Shepard! They screamed.

"This is for all of us… this is our last stand got it? This is where stick it to those Reapers."

HOORAH! The London forces threw their guns into the air.

"On your order… Lieutenant Commander. Make… Shepard proud." Liara's words were like a passing of the torch, all eyes on Ashley. She was their leader now. Just like Shepard told her she would be.

_I'm ready…_

"Alright… let's-"

SCRRRRNGHHH

Everyone heard that distinct roaring screech from a Reaper, all gunfire on Earth seeming to stop, a silence blanketing the entire area around them. Red electricity bursts from the giant machines as slowly one by one they were beginning to fall on their own power. The resistance forces were already raising their arms in celebration as the impossible was occurring. In slow motion… the celebrating began.

"He did it…" Vega was the first to let out even a whisper, soon shouting before anyone could react. "That crazy mother fucker did it!"

"Ahaha! Shepard! I knew you could do it!" Wrex's deep bellow rumbled into the air as he tossed his shotgun to the side, Reapers crumbling to the ground in dead heap. Vega and Grunt began to shadow box each other, as the testosterone of this victory couldn't be contained. It was pandemonium around as the cheers were defining.

"Skipper…" Ashley's smiled couldn't be contained either as she was suddenly mobbed by the entire team. She couldn't even hear herself think but the image of Shepard victorious was about to make her scream out like the others.

"Yeah Commander! That's how you finish it! That's how it's done!" Jack was jumping up and down pounding her chest.

Ashley felt herself overwhelmed by the pit of celebration surrounding her but noticed Liara holding her chest, crumbled down onto her knees. The Asari earned to be full of relief, literally feeling like the weight of the world was off her shoulders. Ash quickly sidestepped another Krogan chest bump and slid to the wall. Both Liara and Ash didn't even say a word for a few minutes, both resting their heads on one another.

Rivals in the beginning now they felt like sisters.

"Heh… whenever we doubt him…" The blue Asari managed to giggle as she glanced up at an exhausted Ashley.

"He makes us look stupid… I know." Ashley smiled in reply as the two shared a light snicker towards one another.

To go from the idea of imminent death to the most satisfying of victories was too much of a high to handle. Even the Normandy crew couldn't take this. Either the euphoria was causing psychosis or in Ashley's and Liara's case… pure faintness. The two glimpsed up to the stars as the fireworks of dying Reapers entertained them and a jubilated Earth.

Destruction was never so beautiful.

"… Thank you Shepard… thank you…"

Ashley heard Liara whisper as she closed her eyes. The Spectre beamed, glancing up to the sky as the victory was slowly settling in. Suddenly from high above she suddenly sees a flash that no one else notices, a dark red beam that seemed to light up the heavens. She blinks a few times as soon the radio feeds would come in.

That was the Citadel... where Shepard was.

And it was now nothing but ashes.


End file.
